Pneumatic-despatch apparatus.



R. G. COLLINS, JR- PNEUMATIG DESPATGH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 1913.

1 1 O8, 1 36 Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

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RODERICK G. COLLINS, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

Application filed. April 16, 1913. Serial No. 761,584.

and useful Improvements in Pneumatic- Despatch Apparatus, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic despatch apparatus designed for the safe transportation of freely running carriers of large caliber for heavy traffic as distinguished from what are commonly known as store-service carriers, and particularly to systems embodying a. single transmitting tube for the transportation of carriers in both directions and with which tube any desired number of branch tubes has communication, and in which system there is a central power station from which carriers may be despatched by blast and to which carriers may be transported by suction.

The invention has for its object to provide such a systemwith means controllable from the central station by which the trafiic or transportation of carriers may be safely and expeditiously carried on.

The invention will be hereinafter described and the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. That which is regarded as new is set forth in the claim appended to the description.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure .l. is a general diagrammatic plan of a system embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the valve controlling cylinders. Fig. 3 is a detail of the controlling valves for starting pressure.

In the said drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the transmitting tube through which carriers containing goods or things to be transmitted are adapted to travel.

2 designates what, for convenience, I will term the central station or controlling termi- 1, so that suction or pressure may be the agency for the transportation of the car riers. The reference numeral 8 des gnates one suitable type of valve mechanism for placing either the suction or pressure side of the blower in communication with the transmitting tube. The valve element 9 of the valve mechanism is connected by links 10 to valves that open and close at the suction and pressure sides of the fan to atmosphere; and the arrangement is such that when the valve 9 is in position to establish communication between the suction side of the blower and the transmitting tube 1, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the valve 10 closes the suction branch pipe from atmosphere and opens the valve 11 to atmosphere for exhaust of the blower. WVhen the valve 9 is in position to place the pressure side of the blower in communication with the transmitting tube the valve 11 is closed to atmosphere and thevalve 10 opened to afford air supply to the blower.

If it is desired to send articles or a carrier containing the same from the controlling terminal to the opposite terminal 3 of the system, the pressure side of the blower is placed in communication with the transmitting tube behind the goods or contained carrier, and the latter is forced through the tube to the opposite terminal. If it be desired to transport a carrier from said opposite terminal 3 to the controlling terminal 2, the suction end of the blower is placed in communication with the transmitting tube and by suction draws the carrier through the transmitting tube, as will be obvious.

The transmitting tube shown is a single tube through which, as hereinbefore explained, carriers may be sent in opposite directions of the system. At the control terminal, as well as at the opposite and the station terminals, the single transmitting tube is fashioned into two branches 1 and 1", at the juncture of which branches with the tube 1 is a combined switch and air gate 1 that may be manipulated to direct incoming carriers alternately or electively into either branch and close such branch behind the carrier against the influence either of the suction or blast of the blower. The said tube branches are provided with valves, shown conventionally and diagrammatically as rotary valves, 12, 13, which normally are Y valves 12, 13, are each provided with a crank arm 14: coi'inected, respectively, to piston rods 15, the pistons of which move in cylinders, the opposite ends of which have communication with pneumatic pressure from a pressure tank 16 by means of a. conduit 1T, 17, having appropriate branches conununicating with the opposite ends of the cylinders as aforesaid.

1S designate valves associated with the branches of the conduit so that pressuremay be admitted at either side of the piston at will. After a :arrier has come to rest in either of the tubes, as before explained, the valve associahal with said tube is opened by air pressure in the appropriate cylinder by manipulatitm of the corresponding valve 18 so that the carrier may pass from the tube to. a delivery point. That the carrier may be so delivered, it is designed that an air blast be introduced behind the carrier into the branch which, as before statcal, has been closed to the transmitting tube. T his is accomplished by placing said branches in communication with a pressure tank 19 by means of a conduit 20 to both ln'anches 1 and 1 arranged in which are suitable valves 21 shown in detail in 3 which valves are connected to and operable by the movement of the piston rod 15 as shown. The pressure tanks 16, 19 are in communication with a pressure supply tank by way of conduits supplied by suitable pressure reducing valves and, in operation, it is designed that the pressure in the tank 16 wl 'ch operates the valve opening and closino pistons shall be of low pressure, as low p1 are is suflicient to acconmlish that function; and that the tank 19 which supplies the pressure to the tubes for ejecting the carriers therefrom shall be of medium pressure.

lVhen it is desired to send carriers from the control terminal, the appropriate valve 12 or 13 is first opened. by a proper manipulation of the associated valve to admit pressure to that side of the cylinder which cans s the piston rod to open the valve. The carrier is then pushed into the branch of the transmitting tube and the valve closed. For the purpose of scmlina the carrier through the branch and into the transmitting tube in such position that it may be propelled through the tube by a blast of the blower. the medium pressure tank has communication with the tubes 1, 1" at points contiguous to the valves 12. 13. which communication is controllable by manually operable valves 25, 26, to admit a blast behind the carrier to convey it to and past the point where the blower has communication with the transmitting tube, so that it will be subject to the blast of the blower. The pivot of the combined switch and air gate 1 is connected to the piston of an air cylinder 80, and this is so with the corresponding switches and air gates of the other terminal horeinbefore referred to, and a manually controll d valve 31 is provided for the ad mission of pressure to the opposite ends of the cylinder to shift the switch and air gate to either of its positions. Thus the operator at the control station may in receiving carriers send them alternately into one or other of the branches, as he may desire. In sending the carriers from the control station he may do likewise; that is to say, he may (l0 1 ()$lt the ca rier in either of the branches 1 or 1 and. shift the switch and air gate acc ordi n gl y.

During the sending operation the switch and air gate 1 will be so positioned as to close the particular branch 1 or 1 through which the operator may wish to send the carrier, during the period when the carrier admission valve or 13 for the particular ljrranch in use is open, in order that this switch and air gate will form an air lock and prevent power from the blower 5 passio to the branch 1. or 1 in use. This is d rable not only because it would be troublesome to insert the carriers if the branch were open and subjected to the suction or pressure from the blower 5, but there would be also a. loss of power when the en trance valve 12 or 18 of the branches were opened, and a consequent reduction of pressure or suction throughout the entire system which would result in cutting down the speed of the carriers throughout the system. i l hen the carriers have been inserted, and the admission valve in the branch in use is again closed, the switch and air gate 1 will be thrown open by the operator to give free passage for ejecting the carrier from the branch to the main line.

it the ormosite terminal, and at the intermediate station terminal, the switch and air grate may be provided with very similar li ting; mechanism. is shown in F 1 the air gate is provided with the operating arm 3:? controlled from the cylinder 33 which is connected by branch passages with the pressrn'e tank which is supplied through the regulating valve from the high pressure tank fed from a suitable air comprcssor 36, conventionally shown.

The system of my invention embodies a central or control station, an opposite terminal or station, and at least one branch or intermediate station having communication with the transmitting-tube. I have so shown it as a. simple embodiment of the inventive 1( ea. It is obvious that there may be more than one intermediate or branch station and the accessories theii'eof hereinafter described. I provide combined air-gates and switches at the juncture of the intermediate station tubes with the main transmitting tube, and in order that these tube air-gate-switches may be controlled from the main station I provide means, preferably electrical, whereby the operator at the main station may control the position of the tube switches. It will be observed, of course, that the power mechanism is also located at the central or control station so that the operative at that station has it within his control to utilize either blast or suction, and he has it within his control to send from the central station carriers to the opposite terminal or to any intermediate station, and he also has it within his control to place the said opposite terminal or any intermediate station in communication with the central or control station to enable carriers to be transported from said opposite terminal or an intermediate station. According to my invention, collision of carriers within the system and possible wreakage and damage to the system by reason of such collision is provided against, because of the interposition, at the juncture of the branch or intermediate station tubes with the main tube, of the combined air-gate-andswitch under the control of the operative at the central station. It is obvious that when any branch station is placed in communica tion with the main transmitting-tube by the operative at the central station the suction is cut 05 from all other branch stations and from the opposite terminal station.

In Fig. 1, 37 indicates the tube air-gateswitch which is like the combined switch and air-gate 1 hereinbefore described, that is to say it serves not only to direct the movement of the carriers but as an air tight closure or gate. I have shown herein the combined switches and air-gates 1 and 37 merely schematically, as the same and the details are disclosed in my co-pending application filed March 29, 1913, Serial No. 7 57,523, which is provided with an operating arm coupled to the piston of the pressure cylinder 38, similar to the pneumatic power mechanism heretofore described, this pressure cylinder coupling with a branched pressure passage coming from any suitable source of pressure supply, as the tank- 39, which is fed from the air compressor 36 and high pressure tank 35 through a suitable reducer and feed pipe. The branched passages going to the pressure cylinder 38 are controlled by a valve mechanism 410, similar to that shown in Fig. 3, so that either of the tube passages may be opened or closed at will. To operate the valve there are, preferably, provided two coils 41 adapted to more the solenoid core 12 in one direction or the other, dependent on which of the solenoid coils 11 is energized. The coils 41 are in separate circuits, diagrammatically shown, running to the switch board 13 preferably located near the main station or terminal 2, so that the operator at the main station by energizing one or the other of the coils may move the solenoid coil 11 to actuate the valve 40, which is operatively connected with the solenoid core.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In pneumatic despatch apparatus, the combination with a transmitting-tube, a control station communicating therewith, an opposite terminal station and a branch station also communicating therewith, a combined air-and-gate-switch at the point of communication of said branch station with said tube, means for operating said air-andgate-switch from the control station to close communication between the control station and the opposite terminal station and stop the flow of air therethrough and establish operative communication between said con trol station and the branch station, or vice versa, and a combined suction and pressure pneumatic power mechanism located at said control station and means for selectively subjecting said tube to the suction or pressure thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RODERICK Gr. COLLINS, JR. lVitnesses GERTRUDE M. S'rUoKER, J. J. MAWI-IINNEY.

Coples of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

